JavaServer Pages Standard Tag Libraries (JSTL)

The JavaServer Pages Standard Tag Library (JSTL) encapsulates as simple tags the core functionality common to many Web applications. JSTL has support for common, structural tasks such as iteration and conditionals, tags for manipulating XML documents, internationalization tags, and SQL tags. It also provides a framework for integrating existing custom tags with JSTL tags.

JSF and JSTL Libraries

The libraries are bundled as WAR files and are located in the WL_HOME/common/deployable-libraries directory. The JSF libraries include the JSTL JAR files for convenience, so that if an application references a JSF library, it automatically gets JSTL support as well.

Separate JSF 2.0 and JSTL 1.2 JAR files and implementation JAR files are also provided in the WL_HOME/server/lib/api.jar file. You can reference these JAR files for compilation purposes or when using other utilities while developing Web applications.

JSF 2.0 Library

The following table lists the JSF 2.0 library file name and its MANIFEST entries:

Table 6-1 jsf-2.0.war

Attribute

Description

Extension-Name

jsf

Specification-Title

JavaServer Faces

Specification-Version

2.0

Implementation-Title

JSF Reference Implementation

Implementation-Version

1.0.0.0_2-0-2

Implementation-Vendor

Sun Microsystems, Inc.

JSTL 1.2 Library

The following table lists the JSTL 1.2 library file name and its MANIFEST entries:

Table 6-2 jstl-1.2.war

Attribute

Description

Extension-Name

jstl

Specification-Title

JavaServer Pages Standard Tag Library (JSTL)

Specification-Version

1.2

Implementation-Title

Sun Java System Application Server

Implementation-Version

1.2.0

Implementation-Vendor

Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Deploying JSF and JSTL Libraries

Since JSF and JSTL libraries are provided as Web application libraries, they must be deployed before the Web application that is using JSF or JSTL functionality is deployed. The libraries can be deployed using the Administration Console or with the command-line weblogic.Deployer tool.

Here's an example of deploying a JSF 2.0 library using the weblogic.Deployer command-line:

This command deploys the JSF 2.0 library using the default library-name, specification-version and implementation-version defined by the MANIFEST.MF in the library.

After a library is deployed, the extension-name, specification-version and implementation-version of the library can be found in Administration console. This information can also be found in the MANIFEST.MF file of the library WAR file.

Support for JSF 1.x and JSTL 1.x Libraries

JSF 1.x and JSTL 1.x packages are also bundled with WebLogic Server as shared libraries. Existing Web applications that use JSF 1.x and JSTL 1.x functionality can run on the WebLogic Server. You can choose the appropriate JSF or JSTL library based on your Web application.